Jim Kimball Enterprises, Inc.

Name

Jim Kimball Enterprises, Inc.

Legal name

JKE WORKS, INC.

Website

https://jkeworks.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aircraft Restoration Services

NAICS

Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing (33641), Other Aircraft Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing (336413)

SIC

Aircraft (3721), Aircraft & Parts (3720), Aircraft Parts & Auxiliary Equipment, Nec (3728)

akta.pro primary industry

Structural Repair, Modification & Composite Rework (Airframe) (IMABAEAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Modification, Retrofit & Engineering (STC, Avionics Upgrades, Conversions) (TLAKAJAI), Fixed-Wing Aircraft Kits & Experimental Aircraft Manufacturing (IMABAAAJ)

Keywords

• Aircraft restoration services
• Vintage aircraft fabrication
• Custom aircraft painting
• Aerospace engineering services
• Marine engine design

Headquarters

HQ city

Zellwood

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Aircraft Restoration Services: Full-service restoration of antique and vintage aircraft to flying condition, including structural repair, fabric covering, painting, and systems restoration. Services priced via work order with payment due upon demand.
2. Custom Paint Jobs: Show-quality custom paint finishes for aircraft, both custom designs and historically accurate schemes. JKE has produced many award-winning paint jobs.
3. Kit Component Sales: Following completion of their Pitts Model 12, JKE began manufacturing and selling Pitts Model 12 components and kits.
4. Contract Engineering Services: Engineering design services for structure, systems, and components available to external clients in aviation, marine, and consumer markets.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

JKE Works is a boutique aviation restoration company that performs complete restoration of antique and vintage aircraft to flying condition, integrating traditional craftsmanship with modern engineering, in-house CNC and manual machining, sheet metal fabrication, Poly Fiber fabric covering, and award-winning custom paint finishing. The company also provides contract engineering design services for structure and systems in aviation, marine, and consumer markets (with 11 marine engine patents), and manufactures Pitts Model 12 aircraft kit components for sale.

Product overview

JKE Works is an aviation restoration company operating as a single unified business offering aircraft restoration, fabrication, engineering, machining, and custom painting services. The core service is complete aircraft restoration combining modern engineering with vintage techniques. Supporting services include Fabric Covering using Poly Fiber systems since 1974, Engineering with 11 marine patents, Fabrication with steel and sheet metal capabilities, Machining with CNC and manual equipment, and Custom Paint Jobs through exclusive partnership with Aircraft Studio Design. Aircraft restoration projects span historic replicas (Gee Bee Model Z), Lockheed Vega restoration, Stearman restorations, and various classic aircraft. The company also developed marine engine systems for Ford Raptor and produced the Saetta Classic Boat program.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Hot Rods of the Sky: Podcast hosted by Kevin Kimball and his two kids Kallin and Kaity Kimball, featuring deep dives into airplane restoration stories and the history of JKE Works.

Products and services

• Aircraft Restoration Services Complete restoration of antique and vintage aircraft to flying condition, combining modern engineering and manufacturing tools with vintage techniques to produce historically accurate, airworthy restorations. Services are governed by individual Work Orders with payment due upon demand and mechanic's lien protection.
• Fabric Covering Aircraft fabric covering service using the Poly Fiber (Stits) covering system since 1974, with custom JKE-developed tips and techniques incorporated into the official Poly Fiber manual. Applied to more than 120 restored airplanes.
• Engineering Services Structure and systems design/engineering for aircraft, marine, and consumer markets. Portfolio includes eleven marine engine system and propulsion patents with additional patents pending.
• Fabrication Aircraft sheet metal component fabrication from simple panels to compound-curve components, utilizing Miller Syncowave TIG welding, English Wheel, Pullmax, Planishing hammer, and bending brakes. More than 150 airframes have been constructed with in-house steel fabrication and welding.
• Machining In-house machining capabilities for restorations, new builds, molds, and tooling using manual mill and lathe with DRO, a 48x96x18 3-axis CNC router with vacuum table, and a Haas VF-4SS 4-axis vertical machining center.
• Custom Paint Jobs Show-quality aircraft paint finishes using top-quality coatings and systems. JKE works exclusively with Mirco Pecorari of Aircraft Studio Design for custom scheme designs; many JKE-produced paint jobs have won awards.
• Pitts Model 12 Kits and Components Production and sale of Pitts Model 12 aircraft kit components and kits, including custom-built examples such as the Greg Connell Pitts Model 12, Proton Model 12, and Bulldog II Pitts S2S. Begun after Jim and Kevin Kimball completed their own Pitts Model 12 in 1999.

Quantifiable outcome

• 150+ airframes constructed with in-house steel fabrication capabilities
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Kermit Weeks / Fantasy of FlightcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKermit Weeks contacted JKE Works in 2013 to restore his Lockheed Vega 5C C/N 72 to flying condition. The aircraft had been on display at Fantasy of Flight in Polk City, FL. This is a major ongoing restoration project that began in 2014 with wing and tail restoration, resumed in 2019 focusing on fuselage.
• Indmar ProductscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJKE was instrumental in the design, development, and testing of the Ford Raptor Series of marine engines offered by Indmar Products beginning in 2015. This was the reintroduction of FORD into the marine segment. JKE designed and tested top covers, oil pan and pickup, exhaust system, cooling system, and more, accumulating over 5000 hours of on-water testing.
• Jack Roush / Roush IndustriesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUsing aviation connections, JKE introduced Indmar Products to Jack Roush and Roush Industries, resulting in the current partnership between the two companies for Ford marine engine development.
• Scheunemann Aviation ProductsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on the Saetta Classic Boat Program with Scheunemann Aviation Products, a wood kit component vendor for the Model 12 program. Bill Scheunemann and Kevin Kimball created a retro-modern wooden runabout design.
• Mirco Pecorari / Aircraft Studio DesigncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFor 20+ years, JKE has worked exclusively with Mirco Pecorari of Aircraft Studio Design for custom paint scheme designs. Pecorari creates unique schemes such as those for Greg Connell's Pitts Model 12, the Proton Model 12, and Bulldog II.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Aviat Aircraft: Manufacturer of Pitts S-2 series and Husky aircraft kits and assembled units. Comparable to JKE's Pitts Model 12 component manufacturing and airframe-kit business in the kit/specialty aviation segment.
• GossHawk: Specializes in the restoration, maintenance, and repair of classic, antique, and tailwheel aircraft. Closely comparable to JKE as a dedicated vintage piston aircraft restoration shop with similar capabilities in airframe, fabric, and paint.
• Warbird Adventures: Restores, maintains, and operates vintage WWII trainers and warbirds including service center work. Comparable to JKE in antique aircraft restoration with strong event/show presence.
• Stallion 51: Operating museum-style warbird facility specializing in WWII-era aircraft including the P-51 Mustang. Comparable to JKE as a premium restoration, maintenance, and airshow operation in the warbird/antique aviation segment.
• Waco Aircraft: Re-launched classic biplane OEM reproducing vintage Waco designs as factory-built aircraft. Comparable to JKE in combining vintage design authenticity with modern manufacturing and kit/specialty product sales.
• Airmark Restoration & Supply: Independent inspection and restoration facility for general aviation and warbird aircraft. Comparable service offering and customer base to JKE's antique aircraft restoration business.
• Pemberton & English Aviation: Long-running vintage Beechcraft specialist known for Staggerwing and Model 17 restorations. Directly comparable to JKE's Staggerwing-for-Baron-Hilton work and other antique Beechcraft projects in scope and customer profile.
• Pacific Fighters: Family-run warbird restoration, maintenance, and flight operations. Comparable to JKE in boutique, owner-operator vintage aircraft work with deep in-house capabilities.
• Yanks Air Museum: Restoration and preservation of warbirds at a dedicated museum-owned facility. Comparable to JKE in long-term, in-house vintage aircraft restoration with similar technical scope.

Broad incumbents

• StandardAero: Large-scale aerospace MRO provider offering engine and airframe services across business, commercial, and helicopter platforms. Comparable to JKE as a broad aviation services provider but operates at much greater scale and broader scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCplrB9XfvTeSocKr-mku_LA
• Facebookfacebook.com/jkeworksfl

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Jim Kimball Enterprises, Inc.